Published: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 1:12 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, December 28, 2012 at 1:12 p.m.

Environmentalists and a private business sparred over water while another drought reduced area lakes to record low levels. This water war and drought was the No. 3 local story of 2012.

Facts

Facts

COUNTDOWN: The Star-Banner newsroom voted the Top 10 stories of 2012.

TODAY: Water issues

• For previous top stories go to Ocala.com

READERS' CHOICE

• The third most viewed story on Ocala.com in 2012: “Officials: Customer at Internet cafe shoots 2 robbers” — 120,340 views.

Each day since Dec. 22, the Star-Banner has been counting down the Top 10 local stories as chosen by newspaper's staff.

Canadian-based businessman Frank Stronach this year increased his Marion County land holdings to more than 30,000 acres.

Stronach started forming a cattle operation called Adena Springs Ranch, which includes only grass-fed cattle and a meat processing operation.

Originally, Adena asked the St. Johns River Water Management District to withdraw 13.3 million gallons to irrigate and to feed his herd.

Adena reduced that request to 5.3 million gallons per day amid strong opposition from residents and environmentalists, who said the original request would, if granted, hurt groundwater levels and flow at Silver Springs.

Also this year, the water district announced an initiative to reduce nitrate loading in Silver Springs.

As these debates heightened in 2012, lake levels were dropping.

Orange Lake and Lake Weir were at or near historic low levels, while Silver Springs was near record low discharge. That discharge plays a key role in keeping the Ocklawaha River at navigable depths.

Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

<p>Environmentalists and a private business sparred over water while another drought reduced area lakes to record low levels. This water war and drought was the No. 3 local story of 2012.</p><p>Each day since Dec. 22, the Star-Banner has been counting down the Top 10 local stories as chosen by newspaper's staff.</p><p>Canadian-based businessman Frank Stronach this year increased his Marion County land holdings to more than 30,000 acres.</p><p>Stronach started forming a cattle operation called Adena Springs Ranch, which includes only grass-fed cattle and a meat processing operation.</p><p>Originally, Adena asked the St. Johns River Water Management District to withdraw 13.3 million gallons to irrigate and to feed his herd.</p><p>Adena reduced that request to 5.3 million gallons per day amid strong opposition from residents and environmentalists, who said the original request would, if granted, hurt groundwater levels and flow at Silver Springs.</p><p>Also this year, the water district announced an initiative to reduce nitrate loading in Silver Springs.</p><p>As these debates heightened in 2012, lake levels were dropping.</p><p>Orange Lake and Lake Weir were at or near historic low levels, while Silver Springs was near record low discharge. That discharge plays a key role in keeping the Ocklawaha River at navigable depths.</p><p><i>Contact Joe Callahan at 867-4113 or joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.</i></p>